Winter Weather and Comfort Food Go Together

December 21, 2009

This post isn’t particulary about real estate or the greater Tehachapi area. Except that for some reason it seems to me that it is, at least peripherally about those things. What’s the tie-in? I think that there’s a lot to be said for the sense of “home” that one gets from eating “comfort foods.” It also seems that for me comfort foods are most appealing in the winter time. Since I’m currently home-bound and the weather is gray and damp with snow threatening, my thoughts turn to comfort food.

With that in mind, I was inspired today to create a new soup, Potato and Corn Chowder. I so enjoyed making and eating it that I thought I’d share it with you. Pretty simple to make and definitely comfort food in my book. Give it a try and be sure to let me know what you think.

Potato and Corn Chowder

5 strips bacon, diced

1 cup onion, diced

½ cup pasilla peppers, diced

3 cups potatoes, peeled, diced

3 15.5 oz cans chicken stock

2 15.5 oz cans corn, drained

½ – ¾ cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream (optional)

Chives or Scallions (optional)

Pan fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. Add onions and pasilla peppers to bacon grease and saute on medium-high heat for several minutes until limp and beginning to brown. Add potatoes and saute for a few more minutes until edges of potatoes begin to brown. Immediately add 2 cans of chicken stock, bring to a boil and boil for several minutes. Cover pan, simmer for a few minutes, then remove from heat. Let stand for about an hour or until potatoes are very soft.

Puree potato mixture in blender or food processor. Add corn, bacon and milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use remaining can of chicken stock to thin to desired consistency. Heat soup until it begins to bubble. Correct seasoning if necessary. When hot, ladle into serving dishes and garnish with sour cream and chives or scallions.

Notes:

If in a hurry, continue to simmer until potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Letting potatoes finish cooking off-heat allows more time for flavors to meld.